


A Boy In The Shadows

by HuiLian



Series: Halloween Content War [5]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Gen, This is confusing, i wrote it and i'm confused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 03:19:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12547656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuiLian/pseuds/HuiLian
Summary: Eyes still follow him wherever he went. At first it was just patrol. Then whenever he was inside the Cave. Then every night. Now, those eyes follow him in his every waking moment. Bruce still refuses to believe it’s a ghost.





	A Boy In The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> For Halloween Content War. Day 5: Haunting/Spooky. So I misread the schedule and I had to finish this in like 30 minutes. So sorry for all the mistakes…
> 
> This is a bit morbid and confusing, so beware.

 

Bruce didn't believe in ghosts. He might, once, as a child running around the Manor, without a care in the world. But his parents died, and he didn't believe in ghosts anymore. Because, what is a ghost but a scary story for children, and he has seen things scarier than ghosts.

Yet, why did he feel eyes watching him on patrol?

It doesn't matter. There are no ghosts. Bruce hadn't believed in ghosts for decades. He's not going to start now.

***

Eyes still follow him wherever he went. At first it was just patrol. Then whenever he was inside the Cave. Then every night. Now, those eyes follow him in his every waking moment. Bruce still refuses to believe it's a ghost.

***

He stared at the memorial case. He put it in the middle of the Cave. He put it where he had to see it every time he entered the Cave. The feeling of being watched was always stronger whenever he looked at the case.

***

He started seeing things. He saw a glimpse of a boy who was six feet underground. He heard laughter from the library. His eyes caught movement here and there, gone in a moment. Sometimes, if he focused hard enough, he could see _him_ , standing on his side, smirking.

He spent hours trying. If Alfred thought it strange, he didn't say anything.

He wondered if Alfred can see him too.

***  
Patrol. Look at the case. Remember. Go to bed. Go to work. Exercise. Patrol. Look at the case. Remember. Go to bed. Go to work. Exercise.

Patrol.

***  
He was there most when Batman delivered a particularly hard punch, or a more savage kick. He was there most of the patrol if Batman went out without a plan. Batman started doing it more just to catch a glimpse of him. He was always gone in a second. So he did it again. And again. And again.

He heard the news, of course, 'The Bat is Getting Violent', 'Should We Imprison the Bat?', 'Batman: Harm or Help?'. He didn't care.

Gordon started to be wary of him on their rooftop meeting, so he stop going. _He_ was never there anyway.

Alfred started to eye him with worry every time he got back from patrol. But he said nothing, so Batman continued on. He punched harder and got into more careless plans. Batman continued the violence. _He_ was there every night.

Bruce will do anything for him.

***

Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise. Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise.

Patrol.

***

Dick came back. Nightwing was worried about Batman's tendency for violence. _Nightwing_ was worried. _Nightwing_.

Batman ignored him. He was still performing adequately. There was no need to worry. Besides, Batman has _him_.

Dick started a fight. Bruce ignored him. Dick left. Batman went on patrol.

***

Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise. Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise.

Patrol.

***

He started coming home with more injuries. Alfred stitched him up, but had a pained expression all the time.

_He_ was there, when Batman was injured. _He_ was stronger when Batman was injured.

Batman got injured a lot more.

***

Case. Sleep. Exercise. Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise.

Patrol.

***

Alfred finally broke. He confessed that he thought Bruce was now thinking with his fists instead of his head. He confessed of fearing Bruce would not survive another injury.

Bruce couldn't decide if he should feel guilty for scaring Alfred, or happy for getting to be closer to _him_.

***

Case. Sleep. Exercise. Patrol. Case. Sleep. Exercise.

Patrol.

***

Alfred's voice was ringing in his head. 'Think with your head, not your fists'.

_He_ was there when he thought with his fist. But he couldn't protect Gotham without thinking with his head.

He asked for _his_ forgiveness and went after Two-Face.

***

"Who are you?"

"Robin."

Bruce's heart stopped. It can't be. Jason was dead. Robin was dead. He was not out there, lifting rocks and beams to save Batman's life.

Besides, _he_ was there. The boy was not Robin.

"I don't know who you are, but you're not Robin."

***

Timothy Drake, desperate to become Robin.

No. Bruce would not let another child die. _He_ was whispering in his ears, telling Batman not to let this child be Robin. _He would die. He would die. Don't do this._

But by God, the kid was smart. He managed to convince both Dick and Alfred. Both of them urged Batman to take this kid as Robin.

But Harvey was still on the loose. Batman need to go.

***

The kid was smart. The kid was smart.

His points were rational. His arguments were given in a wonderfully thought out way. _He_ was silent. _He_ has been silent ever since Batman let the kid tag along while fighting Two-Face.

Batman needs a Robin. Bruce gave in to Dick and Alfred. _He_ was giving no objections. (Perhaps silence was an objection in itself.) Timothy Drake become Robin.

***

Bruce heard no more voices, saw no more images, felt no more eyes watching him. _He_ was gone.

***

Just a few yards away from the manor, a boy dug his way out of his grave.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I have to explain this. So he is Jason Todd, there to stop Batman from dying. And he stopped doing it because he was alive again. It’s a bit confusing…
> 
> check out my tumblr (huilian.tumblr.com)


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